SC seeks status reports from states, UTs

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday issued notices to governments of State and Union Territories regarding rehabilitation of the street children and asked them to file status reports of their implementation of the Standard Operating Procedure for Care and Protection of Children in Street Situations prepared by NCPCR in 2020, reported LiveLaw on Sunday.

A division bench of Justices Nageswara Rao and B R Gavai was hearing an application filed by the Amicus Curiae Gaurav Agrawal seeking directions in respect of children who are adversely affected due to Covid pandemic by losing either one or both the parents, and the increased incidents of child trafficking especially of the girl child.

Further, the Bench directed that the draft SOP submitted by the Amicus Curiae and Anitha Shenoy and Sristi Agnihotri (Counsel for the petitioners) be sent to state governments and all High Courts for their comments. It further directed that responses be filed within a period of two weeks upon which the exercise for

the finalisation of the SOP shall be taken up on November 15.

In light of the NCPCR SOP, the Bench also directed NCPCR to submit a status report to the court on the steps taken by

the State Governments/ Union Territories and the statutory authorities under the Juvenile JusticeAct regarding the implementation of the SOP, within a period of two weeks.